The founder of the Bashkir publication has been fined for not asking to be recognised as a ‘foreign agent.’

The Leninsky District Court of Ufa has fined journalist and founder of the publication “Aspekty—Bashkortostan” Ruslan Valiev 30,000 roubles (about US$330). According to the court, he was supposed to apply to the Ministry of Justice himself and ask for either himself or his publication to be added to the “foreign agent” register. RusNews reports this, citing the publication itself.

Valiev was fined for violating the rules for activities of a “foreign agent” (part 1 of article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The court claimed the journalist was under “foreign influence” because he published material on the platforms of people and organisations included in the “foreign agent” register, and “Aspekty” in turn published their views. Materials in the case refer to, among others, political scientist Ekaterina Shulman, journalist and former Bashkortostan regional government official Rostislav Murzagulov, activist Ruslan Gabbasov, and OVD-Info. In addition, Valiev was faulted for publishing an opinion column in the media outlet “Echo,” whose legal entity in Russia is recognised as an “undesirable organisation.”

The Ministry of Justice added “Aspekty—Bashkortostan” to its “foreign agents” register on 21 November 2025. In March 2024, Roskomnadzor blocked the outlet’s website within Russia.